Burton Revisiting MAI: THE PSYCHIC GIRL?

According to a barely-readable report on Latino Review, Tim Burton is somehow attached to direct a feature film version of the manga 'Mai: The Psychic' girl.

According to Wikipedia the 1980s-era Manga by Kazuya Kudo and Ryoichi Ikegami focuses on a 14 year-old girl with psychic abilities who "is being pursued by the Wisdom Alliance, an organization which secretly strives to control the world. The alliance already controls four other powerful psychic children, and it has hired the Kaieda Intelligence Agency to capture Mai."

Burton made a run at the property nearly 20 years ago with screenwriters Larry Wilson ('Beetle Juice') and Caroline Thompson (frequent Burton collaborator). It has apparently been changing hands at the studios ever since. According to the report Burton has personally acquired the rights to the film.

Will it be the next project for Burton? It's hard to say. Following his box office win with 'Alice in Wonderland' the filmmaker has been attached to several potential projects, including the rumored 'Addams Family' 3D film, 'Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter' and the toy-based 'Monsterpocalypse'.

SPLICE Guy Wants ALPHA FLIGHT Too?

'Splice' director Vincenzo Natali is once again chatting with MTV Splash Page about comic book movies. He's previously professed his love for 'Swamp Thing' but also has his eye on a certain Marvel team.

"I thought that would be interesting, to give a little Canadian angle on the superhero mythology," he futher explained. "It's an interesting group and it had a lot of different members, so you can take it in a number of different directions. I think it would be cool."

He also admits that's all just dreaming on his part and wants to wait for the superhero genre to cool before wading into those waters.

C2F Quick Hits

Thanks to everyone who has submitted reports about a certain actor being attached to appear either in an 'Ant-Man' feature film or 'The Avengers'. However, C2F at Mania is not repeating the rumor here as we can't find any credible source to confirm.

Variety reviewed the comic-strip based 'Tamara Drewe' - "Pic reps a satirical but soft-biting swipe at contempo middle-class mores among Blighty's chattering countryside classes. Told with bold comic brushstrokes by helmer Stephen Frears, more in 'Mrs. Henderson Presents' form than 'The Queen,' the film should draw B.O. earnings on the former's scale, performing best domestically."

The Hollywood Reporter also reviewed 'Tamara Drewe' - "Bright and amusing comedy about the foibles and loves of writers in bucolic Hardy country."

Will Terrence Howard Play Another Marvel Character?

Fans know well that when 'Iron Man' made its first run, launching Marvel as a bankable studio, it was not actor Don Cheadle playing the role of Jim Rhodes, but rather Academy Award nominee Terrence Howard. Howard was the first actor cast in the movie and has been credited with attracting start Robert Downey Jr to the lead role.

Fans also know well that Marvel tried to negotiate Howard's rather princely salary down for the sequel and ultimately replaced him with Cheadle. At the time Howard, very understandably, seemed stung by the turn of events. In an interview he expressed he expressed his dismay.

"Good faith negotiations aren't always held up," he said as an apparent swipe at Marvel.

"Even friendships, people that you support," he began as what seemed to be a comment aimed at Downey.

However, with 'Iron Man 2' in theaters, Howard took a moment to chat with E! Online to let everyone know it's all good. While he hasn't yet seen the sequel he said he plans to and he may even end up in an upcoming Marvel project.

"Despite the customary idea or thought that there's some controversy, it was a wonderful split and I know that they've done well," Howard said, apparently not recalling his 2008 interview.

As for his one-time friend Howard said, "Robert Downey Jr. was born to play that part and it was wonderful that that part has given him the stature that he was supposed to hold before. For me to have recommended him, it means all the more so that I helped someone get to where they are supposed to go."

And his relationship with Marvel?

"Marvel and I are now talking about doing some other things. And Don Cheadle wanted to play that part before I wanted to play it, so everything is very well."

Of course, that last bit is the most intriguing thing. What might Marvel and Howard be talking about doing?

The comment is completely vague and therefore anything that follows is completely speculation, but lets speculate:

If we're assuming Howard would play a black character, then the most prominent and suitable one for him, in the opinion of Comics2Film at Mania, would be 'The Black Panther'. He may not seem to be physically on model for the character, but In our encounters with Howard doing press for the first 'Iron Man', he definitely gives off an air of dignity and leadership that we'd want to see in a big-screen T'Challa. And who's to say that 'The Avengers' movie will be limited to characters that have appeared in the other movies? Walk-on bits in the super group pic could be spun off into feature films.

What do you think Maniacs? Will Howard return to the Marvel fold? If so, what character should Howard play next?